Hou Sheng Ke Wei等

Hou Sheng Ke Wei

后生可畏

Literal Meaning:

A young man should be regarded with respect.

Metaphorical Meaning:

It is used to praise a young man with knowledge or skills superior to the older people.

In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 476 BC), the famous educator Confucius traveled from states to states to promulgate his own thoughts. One day, he met three kids on the road, two of whom were playing while the third one was standing aside and watching them. Confucius felt strange and asked the third kid why he didn’t join in the other two. The kid replied in a serious tune: “The ardent pillow fight may cause death. The normal pulls and pushes may cause injury. It is also not good to tear other’s clothes. So I would not like to play with them. Is that strange?”

Confucius felt shocked by the little kid’s answer. After a while, this kid built a small castle with earth and sat inside it. He neither get out of the castle nor gave way to Confucius, who can’t help but ask: “Why do you sit inside the castle and get in my way?” The kid replied: “I knew the carriage should take a detour when it met a castle or a city, but I have never heard that a castle should give way to a carriage.” Confucius felt more surprised because such a little kid could give out such smart words. He praised him: “What a great amount of knowledge you have despite your age!” But the children replied calmly: “I heard that the fishes can swim soon after they were born. The rabbits can run in the field in three days after their births. The horses can follow their mothers in three days after their births. These are natural things, not concerning the age.”

After hearing that, Confucius had to say: “Now I know how great the young men are!”

完璧归赵

Wan Bi Gui Zhao

Literal Meaning:

to return the jade intact to the State of Zhao

Metaphorical Meaning:

to return a thing to the owner in good condition

In the Warring States Period (453 221 BC), the Duke of the State of Zhao got a precious jade named “He Shi Jade”. The Duke of the State of Qin knew that and wrote to the Duke of Zhao, saying that he was willing trade the jade with 15 cities.

The Duke of Zhao knew that the Duke of Qin would not keep his words. But if he refused to give the jade directly, the State of Qin might send army to invade his country. He could not make up his mind, so he discussed it with his ministers, who also could not know what to do.

One of his ministers named Lin Xiangru said to the Duke of Zhao: “My Lord, please allow me to take this jade to see the Duke of Qin. I promise that I will force the Duke of Qin to keep his words; or at least, I will bring the intake jade back.” The Duke of Zhao, knowing that Lin Xiangru was a smart and brave person, agreed with his request and sent him to the State of Qin.

Lin Xiangru arrived in the State of Qin and met Qin’s duke. Lin presented the jade to the Duke of Qin with two hands holding it. The Duke of Qin liked it very much. After appreciating it, he gave the jade to his ministers and then gave it to his concubines to watch it.

Lin Xiangru kept waiting and noticed that the Duke of Qin did not mention the trade with 15 cities. He knew that the Duke of Qin wanted to seize the jade without any costs. So he thought of an idea and said to the Duke of Qin: “Your Highness, there is a small defect in this jade. Please allow me to tell you this defect.”

The Duke of Qin hurriedly returned the jade to Lin Xiangru. After regaining the jade, Lin stepped back, leaned against a pillar, turned to the Duke of Qin and said angrily: “Your Highness promised that you would trade the jade with 15 cities. My colleagues told my lord that you are not a man of your word. I didn’t believe that and persuaded my lord to send me here. But it seemed that my colleagues were right, because you showed no sincerity in trading. Now the jade is in my hands. If you force me to give it, I’d rather crash it against the pillar together with my head.” Then, Lin Xiangru lifted the jade and was about to crash it onto the pillar.

The Duke of Qin wanted his warriors to rob the jade from Lin Xiangru, but he was afraid that Lin would really crash the jade. So he had to apologize to Lin Xiangru and promised to give the State of Zhao the 15 cities. Lin said: “When my lord sent me here, he abstained from meat and alcohol for five days. Your Highness should do the same thing before receiving it.”

The Duke of Qin promised and sent Lin Xiangru back to the hotel. Lin, knowing the Duke of Qin would eat his words again, returned to the State of Zhao stealthily and brought the intact jade back.